Where He Stood
by charming2drew
Summary: They never saw him for who he really was. He wasn't a real person. The life of Cassidy before and after he joined the baseball team. Sad. Angsty. Features Cassidy, Dick, Woody, and a little bit of Logan bashing.


Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing. Except the 3 seasons of VM and the soundtrack that I bought with my own money.

A/N: I hope you like it.

Where He Stood

He didn't understand why he was always getting left behind. He used to be Dick's best friend, but somewhere along the way that all changed. Now it was all about Dick and Logan, when it should have been about Dick and Cassidy. They were the brothers. They were the ones that had known each other the longest. But then Logan entered the picture.

Dick and Logan had immediately hit it off. When it was, "Hey, bro, let's play Mario cart," it was now, "I'm going over to Logan's to hang, don't wait up." And then not waiting for a reply, Dick would slam the door. In return, Cassidy would jump at the sound. It was as if the sound of the door closing was the ending of Cassidy and Dick's best friend relationship. Dick no longer needed Cassidy to tag around with because he had someone his own age. Why would an almost ten year old want to hang around with someone younger? Like Dick, Cassidy needed to make friends his own age.

Maybe that's why Cassidy joined the baseball team. Sure, it didn't sound fun for someone like him. Someone who is into reading, classical music, and trying to be a perfect son like his Daddy seemed to want. No, it didn't sound fun to roll around in the dirt, run around a field, and act like a hooligan. But maybe that's what Dick and Daddy wanted him to be. Maybe they wanted someone they could relate to, not someone that made them feel inferior because he was too smart for his age? Whatever the case, Cassidy wanted his Daddy and brother to really see him so the next day he begged his Daddy to let him join the peewee baseball leagues. His Daddy looked incredulous, but he nodded before telling Cassidy to stop bothering him. After that Cassidy immediately asked his brother to teach him how to catch and throw a ball the right way. He didn't want to make a fool of himself on the first day.

When his Daddy had dropped him off at practice, Cassidy had looked skeptical, but a little bit intrigued. Baseball couldn't be all that bad if there were that many people hanging around. All the parents were sitting on the bleachers watching their child and the kids were just standing around getting to know one another. Maybe someone here would want to be his friend?

Cassidy took a hesitant step forward and immediately ran into someone really buff and tall. "Sorry!" Cassidy squeaked, looking down. "I didn't mean to."

"It's all right, bud." The man replied, laying a hand on Cassidy's shoulder, rubbing it gently. "It was just as my fault as it was yours. I see that you have your bat and glove with you, are you here for the practice?" Cassidy looked up, "Yes, Sir!" This man had on a shirt that said 'Coach'. "You're the coach?"

"Quite right, I'm Coach Goodman. And you are?"

"Cassidy Casablancas, sir."

"Ah, I heard that I was going to be teaching a Casablancas. Are you ready for a fun filled summer?" He said grinning.

"Yeah, I can't wait. I've never played before." Cassidy admitted. "I hope that's okay. If it's not, I could leave." Cassidy made to turn away, but the hand on his shoulder tightened.

"No, I would never let that happen. Most of your teammates have played for a year or two, but if you end up being too far behind, if it's okay with your parents, I wouldn't mind having extra lessons to help you catch up." Goodman smiled.

"Really? You wouldn't mind? I'll have to ask my Dad, but I don't think he would mind." Cassidy bumbled.

Laughing, Goodman led Cassidy to where his other teammates were, "Don't get ahead of yourself. Let's see how you do at practice today, that sound good to you?" Cassidy nodded, happily.

Goodman let go of Cassidy's shoulder, and addressed the kids, "Alright team, I want everyone to get in pairs of two and practice throwing and catching the ball. I hope you all have been practicing in the off season." With that, everyone grabbed a ball and went to separate areas of the field.

Cassidy and another boy ended up paired together. It definitely wasn't as bad as Cassidy thought it was going to be. With the little practice that Dick had helped him with, Cassidy wasn't all that bad. After the warm up, the team was split down the middle and they had a practice scrimmage.

When it was all over, Cassidy knew that he was going to need extra help. He was out of breath, his sides hurt, and he was so tired. Who knew that baseball was so exhausting? And it was so hot. There wasn't even a breeze. Cassidy chugged as much water as he could. As he finished his last drop, Goodman came up to him.

"Are you alright there, champ?"

"Just tired. How did I do?"

"Just as I expected. You did a pretty good job for your first day, but you definitely have some catching up. When your father gets here, let him know that I want to have a word, okay?"

"Okay." Cassidy went to sit on the curb to wait for his Dad.

Forty five minutes later and many parents asking if someone was coming to get him or if he needed a ride home, his Dad got there. Cassidy immediately told him that the Coach wanted to talk to him. His Dad didn't look too happy about that. He probably had some business that he needed to take care of, but then he always had something that needed to be done, something that was always more important than Cassidy.

Cassidy knew that his Dad would agree to let him have private lessons with Goodman because Casablancas' never made bad impressions out in the real world. If something could be perfected, it was perfected.

At first, the private lessons and practices were going great. Cassidy sort of felt that it was a little odd that the Coach would want to spend so much time teaching him, but Goodman never minded. He genuinely seemed to like spending time with Cassidy. And Cassidy had to admit that he really liked hanging out with his Coach. His dad had pretty much been nonexistent and Dick was hardly ever home. He was always over at Logan's, and Cassidy was left home all alone except for the days that the housekeeper came. So Cassidy really enjoyed his private lessons. Sometimes Goodman would take Cassidy to get ice cream as a treat for doing so well. He only needed a little more practice and then he would be at the same level as everyone else.

But that final lesson didn't go as Cassidy expected.

It was a Saturday afternoon when it first happened. It was just a single touch. But then it turned into so much more. It hurt so bad. It felt so wrong. Cassidy didn't like it, but the Coach said that he would. He wanted it to stop, but it didn't. He told him that he was so pretty.

After that, Cassidy didn't want to play baseball anymore. He didn't want to go to practice, or his private lessons. He begged and pleaded with his Dad to let him quit. He even asked Dick to talk with Dad to let him, but their Dad said no. Cassidy made a commitment and he would stick to it. You don't just high tale it at the end. It's not very nice sportsmanship.

So it continued, and Cassidy never told anyone. He could never find the words, and what would his Dad and Dick think of him? He would just be a disgrace to the Casablancas name. And Cassidy didn't want that.

All he ever wanted was for his Dad and brother to really see him, but now all they saw was a whiny baby who couldn't stick it out to the end of a baseball season. He would never be a real person in their eyes.

And for that Cassidy blamed Logan. If it wasn't for Logan, Cassidy would have never lost his best friend and he never would have dreamt of joining the baseball team. And it would never have happened.

The end.

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